Rotary motor.



Patented Sept. 3, |90I.-

J. T. COPITHRN.

ROTARY MOTOR.

(Application filed Nov. 19, 1900..

(H0 Model.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN T. COPITHORN, OF I-IINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROTARY MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,843, datedSeptember 3, 1901. Application filed November 19,1900. Serial No.36,969. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN T. COPITHORN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Hingham, county of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Sectional Rotary Motors, of which thefollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.Y

This invention relates to rotary engines in which compressed motivefluid,such as steam, is used to obtain the required power; and itincludes a series of sections each comprising a housing in which ismounted for rotary movement a rotating element or driver, the saiddrivers each having a series of pockets on their periphery, into whichthe motive fluid is injected successively, thereby giving to the driversa rotary motion. The drivers are preferably all mounted upon the saineshaft, and the motive fluid after acting on the first element or driverof the series is conducted to the next section, Where it acts againstthe pockets on the driver therein, the rotation of this second driverassisting in rotating the main shaft, and from the second section themotive fluid is conducted to the third section, and so on through theseries, whereby the motive fluid acts in succession on all the driversof the series and each driver augments the power generated by the otherdrivers. In cases where I desire to generate a considerable power Imerely provide my main shaft with an increased number of sections, eachcontaining a driver. I also provide the main shaft with a second seriesof sections, in which are mounted drivers similar to those in thefirst-mentioned series of sections, but having their pockets oppositelydisposed, so that by admitting the motive fluid to the second series ofsections the shaft will be driven in a reverse direction.

In the drawings, Figure l illustrates my rotary motor partly in sectionand partly in elevation; and Fig. 2 is a section on the line .fo x, Fig.l, looking in the direction of the arrow.

The main shaft 2, which is geared in any suitable way to the mechanismto be driven, is supported in bearings 3 in any suitable framework, saidbearings 3 preferably being provided with suitable antifriction-rolls 4for the purpose of reducing friction. Mounted upon the main shaft arethe diderent sections which together comprise my engine or motor, thesections of the series being designated by 4 4' 4", each of thesesections comprising the housing 5, in which is mounted for rotation therotating element of the engine, Which I will term a driver,such driverbeingdesignated generally by 6. The drivers are each made fast to themain shaft 2 in any suitable Way, as by the usual key, While thehousings 5 are stationary and are bolted to the side pieces 7 of theframework, as illustrated in Fig. 2. For this purpose the said sidepieces preferably have the inturned flanges 8, upon which rest the earsor lugs 9, integral with the housings 5, the said lugs being secured tothe flanges in any suitable Way, as by bolts l0. Each driver or rotatingelement 6 has at its periphery a series of blades 1l, against which themotive fluid acts in order to give rotation to the said driver in amanner hereinafter described.

My preferred manner of constructing the driver is illustrated in thedrawings, wherein it has in its periphery a channel or groove formed bythe radial side flanges l2 and the bottom 12', the said channel beingdivided into a series of independent compartments or pockets 13 by thepartitions or blades 1l. Preferably the blades or partitions l1 will beinclined to the radius of the rotating member, the advantage of suchinclined disposition of the blades being hereinafter pointed out. Eachhousing 5 is shown as comprising the body portion 14, having theperipheral flange 15, the said Iiange being of a depth substantiallyequal to the width of the rotating member, and the inside diameter ofthe said housing approximately is equal to the exterior diameter of thedriver 6, whereby the ends of the blades 1l fit the inside of the flange15. A cap-plate or cover 16 is secured to the body portion 14 of thehousing in any suitable Way, as by bolts 17, by means of whichconstruction it will be seen that the driving member is entirelyinclosed by the tight housing 5, and as the outer edges of thepartitions or blades ll fit the interior periphery of the housing eachpocket is practically independent from the others and has nocommunication IOO therewith. I would here remark that the housing may beof a Width slightly greater than the thickness of the periphery of thedriver, and in practice the driver is made to rotate in the housing withan easy dt, so as to reduce the friction to a minimum, the ends of theblades 11 fitting the inner periphery of the housing with an easy fit,but not having sufficient contact therewith to create any amount offriction. I may, if desired, provide each side of the housing 5 withenlarged hubs 18, which may be provided with a suitable packing and inwhich are contained any suitable roller-bearings for the shaft, and asthe housings are stationary they form added supports for the shaftbetween the end bearings 3. Each housing is provided with thetangentially-arran ged boss 19, which receives the inlet pipe or conduit20, and the boss 21,

which receives the outlet or discharge con.

duit 22.

As stated above, the blades 11, against which the motive fluid acts togive rotation to the driver, are inclined, with the result that eachblade is presented to the inlet-opening nearly perpendicular thereto, sothat the coinpressed motive duid will act against the said blade mosteffectively.

l Referring to Fig. 2,it will be seen that the blade 25 has just reachedthe position where the motive duid will act thereon, and it Will benoted that the said blade stands nearly perpendiculartotheinlet-opening.Theforce of the duid acting against the blade will give a motion ofrotation to the driver in the direction of the arrow in said figure, andthe blade 25 will move from the position shown in said figure to theposition occupied by the blade 26, and during the movement of the bladefrom its first position to its second position the motive duid isdischarged against it in a line substantially perpendicular thereto, sothat the force of the motive fluid is expended in the most efficientway. When the blade 25 has reached the position of the blade 26, thenext blade has moved into position 25 and is ready to be acted upon bythe motive fluid. It will thus be seen that the various blades arebrought under the inlet-opening in succession and a series of impulsesare given to the driver member, thereby rotating the same. Thecompressed fluid, which is discharged against each blade in succession,is carried with the driving member in the pockets 13 until the outlet ordischarge opening is reached, when the said duid Will pass through thedischarge-conduit 22. Inasrnuch as the pockets are independent from eachother the compressed duid is prevented from expanding as it is carriedaround therein from the inlet to the discharge opening, and therefore itWill be exhausted from each section at nearly the same pressure at whichit was delivered to the section. I therefore connect the outlet 22 ofthe first section 4r of the series with the inlet 2O of the section 4:',and in turn connect the outlet of the section 4' with the inlet of thesection 4", &c. The motive duid, therefore, after passing through thefirst section is taken to the second section at nearly its initialpressure, where it does duty a second time, and so ou through theseries.

It will be evident from the above description that when it is desired togenerate a large amount of power it is only necessary to increase thenumber of sections upon the main shaft.

In order to provide a simple means for reversing the direction ofrotation of the main shaft, I provide the said shaft with a secondseries of sections 40 40' 40", similar in all respects to the sections4t 4f 4", except that the blades of the drivers are oppositely disposed,the inlet 20' of the second series having the same relation to theblades of said series as the inlet 20 of the drst series does to theblades 11. It will now be evident that byadmitting the motive fluid tothe inlet 20', and thus to the second series of sections, the shaft willbe driven in the reverse direction from that in which it is driven whenthe motive fluid is admitted to the sections of the first series.Suitable valve mechanism will be employed to control the admission ofthe duid to either series of sections, as desired. Each section isprovided with a depending boss 30, in which is secured a petcock 31 forthe purpose of drawing off the condensed steam, where steam is used asthe motive duid.

Various changes may be made in the cona struction of the device withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

It will be obvious that my motor is adapted to be used with any othersuitable compressed motive fluid besides steam.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rotary engine, two series of independent sections, eachcomprising a stationary housing, and a rotary driving member inclosedvtherein, a main shaft to which all of said driving members are madefast, each driving member having a series of inclined blades projectingfrom its periphery, and said sections each having an outlet and atangentially-arranged inlet, the outlet of each of said sections of eachseries being connected to the inlet of the next succeeding section inthe same series, the blades of the driving members of one series beingoppositely dis-V posed to the blades of the driving members of the otherseries, and a drip-cock attached to the lower end of each housing.

2. In a rotary engine,- two series of inde'- pendent sections eachcomprisin ga stationary housing anda rotary driving member inclosedtherein, a main shaft to which all of said driv-V ing members are madefast, each driving member having a series of inclined blades projectingfrom its periphery and said sections eacli having an outlet and aninlet, the outlet of each section of each series being'connected IOO IIO

to the inlet of the next succeeding section in the same series, and theblades of the driving members of one series being oppositely disposed tothe blades of the driving members of the other series.

3. A sectional rotary motor composed of a main shaft having` two seriesof sections mounted thereon, each section comprising a stationaryhousing loose on the shaft, and a driving member inclosed in saidhousing and fast on said shaft, said driving member having a series ofpockets, the Walls of Which fit tightly against the inner periphery ofsaid housing, each section having an inlet and an outlet, the inletarranged so as to direct the motive fluid squarely against the walls ofthe pockets, the outlets of one section being connected to the inlet ofthe next adjacent seoticn of the same series, and pockets of the drivingmembers of one series being oppositely disposed to those of the otherseries.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciiication in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN T. COPITHORN. Witnesses:

LoUIs C. SMITH, Giro. W. GREGORY.

